Source: Lusaka Voice
Minister of Community Development, Mother and Child Health, Emerine Kabanshi says Zambia remains committed to strengthening the her health systems so as to provide universal access to sexual and reproductive health services in order to save lives.
Ms. Kabanshi says the Zambian government has repeatedly recognized that sexual and reproductive health and rights are necessary for women’s overall health, empowerment and gender equality.
She says this will enable women to benefit fully from education, training, and productive work, as well as participate in social and political life, and enjoy of all human rights.
The minister was speaking in New York in the United States of America (USA) on Sunday when Zambia and Mauritania co-chaired a panel discussion on “Sustainable Development, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: Getting it Right”, which was organized by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
The discussion, which is taking place on the sidelines of the ongoing 69th United Nations General Assembly, was attended by among other ministers of Health from developed and developing countries in the world.
Zambia’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Mwaba Kasese-Bota, also attended the discussion.
Ms. Kabansi noted that Africa’s position on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) has been very clear as expressed in the Addis Ababa declaration and other African Union instruments including, the African Charter on human and peoples’ rights, the protocol on the rights of women in Africa, the Maputo plan of action on sexual and reproductive health and rights and many other instruments.
“Therefore, ensuring that SRHR remains top on the global agenda is very important,” she said.
The minister said Africa requires support to build high quality human capital, strong and thriving economies and ultimately to achieve sustainable development.
Ms. Kabanshi is in President Michael Sata’s entourage that is attending 69th United Nations general assembly. Mr Sata arrived in New York yesterday for the same meeting. Other ministers in President’s entourage are Mwansa Kapeya, who is in charge of Lands and Harry Kalaba for Foreign Affairs.